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- Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive
- Path: sparky!uunet!wupost!mont!pencil.cs.missouri.edu!daemon
- From: Andrew Lang <lang@igc.apc.org>
- Subject: AI UA392/92 CUBA Ill-treatment
- Message-ID: <1992Dec17.020426.12746@mont.cs.missouri.edu>
- Followup-To: alt.activism.d
- Originator: daemon@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
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- Organization: ?
- Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 02:04:26 GMT
- Approved: map@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
- Lines: 137
-
- /* Written 4:09 pm Dec 15, 1992 by hrcoord@igc.apc.org in igc:carnet.alerts */
- /* ---------- "AI UA392/92 CUBA Ill-treatment" ---------- */
- /* Written 6:41 pm Dec 14, 1992 by gn:rmitchellai in igc:ai.uan */
- /* ---------- "AI UA392/92 CUBA Ill-treatment" ---------- */
- EXTERNAL (for general distribution) AI Index: AMR 25/30/92
- Distr: UA/SC
-
- UA 392/92 Ill-treatment/ 14 December 1992
- Legal Concern
-
- CUBA: Elizardo SANCHEZ SANTA CRUZ ) human rights
- Rodolfo GONZALEZ ) activists
-
- Amnesty International is seriously concerned about the arrest of the
- above two human rights activists on 10 December 1992 (the
- anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights) and the
- reported severe beating of Elizardo Sanchez Santa Cruz by state
- security officials at the time of his arrest.
-
- Elizardo Sanchez, former professor of philosophy at Havana University,
- is President of the Comision Cubana de Derechos Humanos y
- Reconciliacion Nacional (CCDHRN), Cuban Commission for Human
- Rights and National Reconciliation. According to reports received by
- Amnesty International, state security agents broke into a house
- Elizardo Sanchez was visiting in the Nuevo Vedado neighbourhood of
- Havana on 10 December 1992. After ransacking and destroying much
- of the contents of the house, the security agents beat Elizardo Sanchez
- to the point that he virtually lost consciousness. He was then taken by
- the same state security agents to the Carlos J. Finlay military hospital
- in Havana. Following his arrest, an "act of repudiation" (acto de
- repudio) was carried out at his family home by a large group of
- people who chanted pro-government slogans and threw stones at the
- house. Such acts, which have become frequent in recent months are
- known in many cases to involve the so-called Destacamentos Populares
- de Respuesta Rapida, People's Rapid Response Detachments, acting in
- coordination with the security forces and Communist Party
- organizations.
-
- The following day Elizardo Sanchez' relatives were allowed to visit him
- in hospital and confirmed that his face was badly bruised. On
- Saturday, 12 December, Elizardo Sanchez was reportedly transferred to
- the Departamento Tecnico de Investigaciones, (DTI), the police
- Technical Investigations Department in Havana. His sister was told by
- state security agents that he was to be held "pending investigations".
- Elizardo Sanchez has been detained and imprisoned on a number of
- occasions in the past for his human rights activities.
-
- Rodolfo Gonzalez, member of the Comite Cubano Pro Derechos
- Humanos, (CCPDH), Cuban Committee for Human Rights, was
- reportedly arrested by state security police after a search of his home
- in Havana. It is believed he may also be held in the Technical
- Investigations Department. Several other human rights activists suffered
- harassment, threats or were physically attacked by hostile crowds in the
- street on 10 December.
-
- Amnesty International believes that Elizardo Sanchez Santa Cruz and
- Rodolfo Gonzalez are prisoners of conscience detained solely on
- account of their peaceful human rights activities and political views.
- Both the CCPDH and the CCDHRN have consistently dissociated
- themselves for the use of violence in order to bring about political
- change and greater respect for human rights in Cuba.
-
- RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send
- telegrams/telexes/faxes/express and airmail letters either in Spanish,
- English or in your own language:
-
- - urging the immediate and unconditional release of Elizardo Sanchez
- Santa Cruz and Rodolfo Gonzalez on the grounds that they are
- prisoners of conscience detained solely on account of their legitimate
- and peaceful activities;
-
- - expressing concern at the reported ill-treatment of Elizardo Sanchez
- Santa Cruz at the time of his arrest;
-
- - requesting that there be a thorough and impartial investigation into
- the reported ill-treatment and that those found responsible be brought
- to justice;
-
- - urging the Cuban authorities to take all necessary steps to ensure
- that human rights defenders are able to carry out their peaceful and
- legitimate activities without fear of reprisals.
-
- APPEALS TO:
-
- President:
-
- Su Excelencia Dr Fidel Castro Ruz
- [Salutation: Su Excelencia / Your Excellency]
- Presidente del Consejo de Estado
- Ciudad de Habana, Cuba
- Telegrams: Presidente Castro, Havana, Cuba
- Telexes: 511122 (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
-
- Attorney General:
-
- Dr Ramon de la Cruz Ochoa
- [Salutation: Senor Fiscal General / Dear Attorney General]
- Fiscal General de la Republica
- Fiscalia General de la Republica
- San Rafael 3, Ciudad de la Habana, Cuba
- Telegrams: Fiscal General, Havana, Cuba
- Telexes: 511456 FISGE
-
- Minister of Justice:
-
- Dr Carlos Amat Fores
- [Salutation: Senor Ministro / Dear Minister]
- Ministro de Justicia
- Ministerio de Justicia
- Calle O No 216, 8vo Piso
- e/ 23 y Humboldt, Vedado
- Ciudad de la Habana, Cuba
- Telegrams: Ministro Justicia, Havana, Cuba
- Telexes: 511331 MINJU CU
-
- President of the People's Supreme Court:
-
- Dr Jose Raul Amaro Salup
- [Salutation: Senor Presidente / Dear President]
- Presidente del Tribunal Supremo Popular
- Ciudad de la Habana, Cuba
- Telegrams: Presidente Tribunal Supremo Popular, Havana, Cuba
- Telexes: 511457 TSUPO
-
- PLEASE SEND COPIES OF YOUR APPEALS TO:
-
- Coordinating Body of Human Rights Organizations in Cuba:
-
- CODEHU
- 1040 S.W. 27 Ave. Miami, FL 33135
- USA
-
- and to the diplomatic representative in your country - please see the
- responses to this topic for details.
-
- PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Please do not send
- appeals after 25 January 1993.
-